The Wrath of Persephone (Lore Olympus)
by jasmin flower
Summary: Spoilers up to episode 84! Due to Tori's words and a misunderstanding, Persephone decides that it's for the best to teach the god Apollo a lesson. When Artemis realizes that the two are gone and asks for help, when a letter that was never meant to be read gets released, when the only ones that can help can't even find the pair, the truths begin to come to the surface.
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! So it's been a while since I've put up a story, but this one caught my attention so much! It won't be too long, as I need to have it finished in the next two days to keep from disrupting the actual storyline of Lore Olympus, but it should be pretty good. At least, I hope!

Anyway, if you're not caught up to Episode 84, this will contain spoilers! You've been warned.

Hope you enjoy!

Jasminflower

Chapter 1

"Everyone knows you got your boyfriend to rip out my room mate's eye! Not only that, he was beaten within an inch of his life! And it's all because of you!"

It had been two hours since that scene. She didn't notice who else may have been watching, but the words themselves terrified her. Someone had done that and blamed it on her? Her boyfriend? Persephone paced her bedroom, her shoes discarded in the doorway, her dress draped over the corner of her bed as she shuffled the perimeter of the room, her arms tightly grasped to each other in any attempt to hold on to what she had left of her sanity.

Her boyfriend. She swallowed hard, feeling panic bubble in her chest. There was only one person who felt like he needed to have that kind of title over her. She stilled for the first time since walking through the door, running one hand over her hair, ignoring the clammy skin on her forehead or the cold sweat she was breaking out in.

She wasn't just sad. She wasn't just scared. She took a few soft breaths, trying to calm her chest, to ease her mind. Apollo had hurt someone and blamed her. She looked down, nibbling her lip nervously. He must have been angry about the other day, when she'd told him she cared about Hades, and that she wanted him to leave. It wasn't enough that he'd already taken so much from her. It didn't matter to him that he'd already plunged her into darkness, now he even tried to steal that away, to leave her with nothing.

Persephone looked at herself in the mirror. She swallowed at the sight of herself, her eyes wide and dark, her hair trailing behind her, vines of the earth wrapping around her shoulders. She closed her eyes.

She needed to calm herself. She had already been too bothered by this. She'd already been so afraid and sad. It was time for something else. Anything else.

Persephone looked up, walking to the window of her bedroom before sliding out, taking to the air as she escaped the house.

Apollo had taken enough. Now it was time to pay him back for his continued harassment.

It had been nearly two hours since Zeus and Poseidon had left his house, his kitchen a disaster and Hades' train of thought just as distraught. He scrubbed bits of half dried batter from the counter, the words echoing in his head. "What good is her love to you if she joins TGOEM?"

The only thing to leave his mouth had been a sigh. He didn't know what to say, because honestly, he had no idea how to reply. He did want Persephone. He craved her as if she were the sun he'd so long avoided, as if the light of her would bring life back to the land of the dead, even if he knew it wasn't for the best. After all, he wasn't one to cheat, and he did still have Minthe, even if he had no idea if he could face her again. He sighed for probably the hundredth time in the last two hours and leaned against the counter, his fingernail absently scraping at a fleck, paying no attention to the fact it had easily wiped off a moment before.

He wanted her to be his, but he wanted her to be willing. He plopped his elbow onto the counter, his hand up to cradle his chin as he stared, still scratching at the nonexistent batter spot. He wanted to go to her. He wanted to tell her everything, to explain every bit of his mind to her, but he knew it would probably terrify her more than anything. Unloading two thousand years of baggage wasn't something one would easily overcome. He swallowed as he thought. Maybe... another letter. The therapist said it could help him sort out himself, and right now that was what he needed the most.

He abandoned the rest of the cleaning and made his way upstairs, ignoring the happy tail wag of Cerberus as he crawled onto the counter, deciding to clean the rest of the mess the way he would enjoy the most.

Hades sat at his desk, cracking his fingers before he started to type.

The first note he'd written her was tragic. Jumbled thoughts he knew he'd never say, sentiment he knew he'd never share. It was nothing, and therefore harder to write. He wasn't writing from his heart, but from his mind. This time was different.

He started at the beginning, instead of a proper introduction or something to let her know his thoughts, he started by explaining his child hood. Instead of writing a letter to himself as if it were to Persephone, he wrote her everything he wanted her to know. He wrote out the hell his life had started as, and where it lead from there. He didn't realize when nearly the whole day had passed, the letter he'd been pecking out just to ease himself was now nearly fifty pages long.

His past, then his current life and dreams, then his thoughts on her. He couldn't type out that he wanted her, as it seemed too embarrassing, but he was able to type that he was almost desperate to know her better. He couldn't really type out what had happened between Minthe and himself, but he admitted to being curious about her, who she liked, who she didn't, and what separated them.

He admitted to wanting to have her as his bride, but he made sure to put in he didn't want to take her against her will, to force her into a marriage with someone she couldn't possibly love. After all, he was Hades. Even if she was kind and made it seem like it wasn't some sort of nightmare, he knew she couldn't possibly like someone like him. He could never shake the scent of death. He looked like Kronos. The same skin, the same eyes...

He barely realized he'd stopped typing, not realizing he'd added those words before he typed his ending. Sincerely yours, Hades.

He swallowed as he stared at his name. It seemed wrong, but now that it was all typed up, now that it was tangible, something he could feel and read, it seemed so much more hopeless. He looked over to the normal envelopes he used, knowing full well that this novel wouldn't fit inside. He pulled out a manila envelope and wrote the names before sliding the papers inside and sealing it shut, hopefully never to see the light of day again.

For the first time, he felt like writing it out had actually helped him clear his head, even if it was only to confirm that there was no way someone as precious as her could actually like him.

He sighed as he headed back down the stairs, the envelope still in hand, as he'd forgotten to slide the heavy papers into the normal drawer of no return. And as soon as he saw the state his kitchen was in, with Cerberus and Big John curled up with batter around their lips, he slid his hands to his hips, the envelope abandoned on the counter.

Time to get this cleaned.

The rest of the day seemed to slip by, leading to a bit of curiosity as darkness came and day passed to night, then concern as night passed into day. While Artemis wasn't one to be picky, especially over the poor girl who had taken refuge from her mother, when she wasn't back the next morning and no messages to her phone were returned, she couldn't help but be worried. She didn't want her to get into trouble, but when the girl had outright vanished, she knew she didn't have many options. She let out a deep sigh as she knocked at the door, the sun now far enough into the sky that the early morning mists had cleared and the sun shone down, Helios wiping sleep from his eyes as the sun started its daily trek.

"Artemis! What a surprise! To what do I owe this little visit?" Artemis wasn't awake enough for the bright cheer in Hera's voice, but she sure as hell wasn't going to stop it either.

"We have a problem." She sighed, turning to look around. "Don't say anything to anyone yet, but I don't know where Persephone is. She went to school yesterday and came back early, but she's not in her room and she didn't leave a note. It's not like her." Artemis admitted. "She'd usually at least respond to the texts I've sent, but I don't think her phone is on." She turned back to the golden goddess, seeing a confused look on her face.

"She's probably just out enjoying herself. It's still a new world for her." Hera shrugged, half wondering if the girl was somewhere with Hades, though she knew if she were, chances were the two were just talking and pretending like their lives didn't revolve around each other. She couldn't help but laugh at that thought, shaking her head.

"She was distraught. She stripped her clothes off and tossed them on the floor. Her shoes are still in her doorway and a few strands of hair I found were... very long." Artemis explained, earning a confused hum from the other.

"So she disappeared after an upset. I'll... see if I can find anything. Why don't you just... go to her school? She's taking her studies seriously. She has to be in class." Hera rationalized, hoping this was all a huge misunderstanding, but two moments struck in her head.

The tears she couldn't keep in after touching the young goddess' hand, and the day before. She could feel the anger and agony welling up, nearly pounding away at the heart of the person, but she didn't know who it was. She could only look down at her phone as she pulled it out, praying she was wrong, that that horror wasn't what that poor girl had felt the day before.

Hades yawned as he pulled out his phone, raising a brow at the name on the screen. "Hello. I'm guessing it's a slow day?" Hades chuckled as the elevator door opened, and he stepped into the top floor of his office, honestly feeling a bit relaxed, quite odd for him after the last few days.

"I... um, have you heard from Persephone?" Hera began, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "She could just be out having fun, but she didn't come home last night and Artemis is worried. She's not answering her phone and we're just worried. I'm sure it's nothing, but we just... want to check." Hera spoke, listening intensely for any sign of deceit or background sounds to clue her in on something they could be hiding. She was a bit surprised to instead hear a snap of his fingers.

"I haven't, but I'll keep an eye out for her." Hades spoke, trying to keep his tone soft and easy going, not wanting Hera to worry more than she probably already was.

"Alright. If you hear from her, just have her call Artemis or myself, please? Just so we know she's alright."

"That won't be a problem." Hades chuckled, patting the large black dog on the head. Cerberus should be able to find her with his sense of smell. "Cerberus, go find Persephone." He whispered, seeing the dog sniff the air for a moment before he took off. "If I find her, I'll let you know. Thanks for the call." He said, hanging up quickly, his mind already completely wiped clean of work.

Hera was a bit surprised to be so casually hung up on, though she understood why. She sighed as she stuck her phone back in her pocket, turning to see Artemis on the phone, another frown on her face. "Apollo isn't answering either." She sighed, missing the curiosity that passed over Hera's face.

Apollo. "Do... Apollo and Persephone get along well? Are they friends?" She asked, trying to keep her tone light and airy, though Artemis heard an odd stiffness in her voice that drew her attention.

She almost answered. She almost said they did get along well before Persephone's voice from a few days earlier rang out in her head. "Let me tell you something about your brother!" She bit her lip, confusion settling over her expression before she shrugged. "I thought they did. They seemed to for a little bit, but I think she's mad at him." Artemis admitted. She turned to Hera, her mouth open to speak, but the look on Hera's face, shock and horror, tears clinging to her lashes snapped any words from her lips. "What's wrong?"

"Someone's in agony." Hera whispered, her chest aching. "It hurts..." She gasped, clasping a hand over her chest, almost terrified when she felt an arm wrap beneath hers to hold her up. She was nearly dragged to the stairs and sat down, Artemis panicked more over Hera than anything else.

"Are you alright? Can you tell who it is?" Artemis asked, thinking maybe if it was this distracting she could go see if someone needed killed, or maybe a stern talking to.

"I can't. I can just feel the weight of their sorrow." Hera swallowed down the tightening that encircled her heart, clenching it tight. "I..." She bit her lips together as she looked up at Artemis, honestly worried. "I think... it's her. I think he hurt her." She whispered, knowing these weren't words Artemis would take kindly to.

Artemis felt her anger start before the anger and frustration in Persephone's voice as she yelled about her brother echoed in her head. "I think... you may be right." She admitted, slowly sitting beside Hera, her elbows on her knees, her hands clenched tightly to each other. "She was really angry about him always being over a couple days ago, but I didn't get to ask why. She just told me to forget it and left. I thought... maybe I was just misinterpreting her, but maybe that's why she's gone. Maybe she left to keep him away while she cooled down."

"Maybe." Hera sighed. She reached a hand up to brush her hair away from her face and hastily wipe a tear from her cheek. She wasn't about to say what she thought had happened. "Artemis, please, go look for her. I can't do too much at the moment, but maybe I can rally a few others to look. Just... don't tell Demeter about any of this. I think that would be dangerous." She admitted, and Artemis stood and nodded, though confusion also was easy to see.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Apollo woke, feeling an odd cold seep into his bones. His whole body ached, feeling as if he'd cramped up during his sleep, though he didn't remember going to sleep. He pushed his hands beneath him, nearly fighting to regain his head, to look around. He couldn't tell the kind of room he was in, but he knew well the color of the vines that hung from the ceiling, laying across everything he could see. He reached out, feeling the soft pink hair entangled with the red vines that wrapped around his legs, keeping him from being able to move a muscle.

Persephone.

He swallowed down, looking himself over to remember a few snippets from the night before. He'd been tied down, strangled, hit and beaten and yelled at, while the irate woman asked him about someone he didn't know, Tori, and his room mate who had been beaten. He couldn't remember much else, only that the cute pink goddess he thought he had a sliver of control over was now quite obviously very much out of hand. He looked up, seeing the hair hang from the ceiling, and felt a cold chill run down his spine. A soft growl met his ears and he turned behind him, finding the woman with one hand on her hip and a dangerous look in her eyes, her other hand on the head of Hades' guard dog. He let out a groan as his hand slid out from under him, landing him hard on his chin, his eyes still on the goddess. "I don't know what you want from me." He groaned, feeling the hair tighten around his legs, the vines digging into his skin.

"You said that last night." Persephone's soft voice seemed wrong. The bloodlust in her eyes, the anger that he could feel radiating from her, it didn't fit with that soft, sweet voice. "But you also said what you did to me wasn't wrong." She crept over, the vines and hair around his legs tightening, pulling him up over her head. He stuck his hand into his pocket, grasping to his phone as he fought to text his sister, to let her know what was happening.

"I didn't do anything wrong to you! What did I do that caused this much... fury?" He asked, feeling the vines wrap up his waist, pulling his arms to his sides as he fought to try and type 'help' into his text bar, hoping he had this right. It would do him no good to accidentally send 'hello' to her, or to send someone else a random word, though as the vines tightened, he knew he could just type where he hoped the send button was.

"I said no. I had a scholarship for being a maiden, and you wouldn't take it for an answer. I hadn't even caved when you were fighting my shorts off of me. You think that was alright with me?" She asked, stepping forward, her hand reaching up to grasp his hair, earning a groan from the god. "Do you think that's what I wanted, to be used and tossed away? To be given no voice to protect myself, then to be abandoned as soon as you were done with me? To cry myself to sleep while you went on to enjoy your day?" She asked, though a smile showed from ear to ear, the wavering of anger and despair trembled in her voice, letting Apollo know he had every right to be afraid of what was to come.

Hera stared at her phone. Artemis hadn't called yet, and Hades seemed to be oddly quiet. She sighed as she leaned against the arm of her chair, thinking of who else to call before she heard the ding of a text message, only to look up and see Ares pull his phone out of his pocket, to stare in confusion. "Hey, Hera, this goddess you're looking for, you said she's pink and young?" He asked, looking up across the room and Hera nodded.

"Yeah, Persephone. Ah... here." She opened Fatesbook and went to her profile, turning her phone to show a picture of her, only to see Ares pale as he turned his own phone to her.

"Is... this her?" He asked, showing off the picture of the same goddess, her hair long, her hand over her face, though it was still easy to see the panic and discourse in her eyes, as well as the leg tucked in beneath the naked goddess.

Hera stared, her eyes going wide as it felt like her breath had been stolen from her lungs. "Send me that." She barked out, jumping to her feet, hitting the first speed dial number. "Zeus, forget work for the day. We have a few problems. I think Persephone is going to try to kill Apollo." She nearly yelled into the phone, rushing down the stairs, trying to think of who could possibly know where the two were.

It was only a few seconds before she felt a wind rush past and turned, seeing Zeus with his arms crossed. "I told you not to accuse him out loud. You have no proof!" Zeus hissed out, surprised when Hera grabbed Ares' phone, turning it to show Zeus the picture.

"There's your proof. Now we need to find them. If you refuse, I will promise you I will make sure any punishments it's decided she should earn will be given to you. You're the one who refused to believe my vision. It should be your fault if she does something to him." Hera snarled, the look on her face actually forcing her husband to step back in alarm.

"Fine." Zeus groaned, though with the image he'd seen, he knew well that he'd fucked up. This WAS his fault. He'd been told of Hera's vision, and still he refused to believe her.

He looked down at his phone, swallowing hard. This wasn't going to end well.

All he would say was that Apollo was to be put on trial, but he didn't explain why. He said Persephone was to be brought to him immediately, but for the sake of everyone involved, he said it was to question her about a crime that had been suspected against her, letting everyone who knew the girl know it wasn't that she was in trouble. It wasn't more than a few minutes until he felt the cold wind brush over the desk in his den that he knew his older brother had come. "Hades, there's no need for you to be here."

"What happened?" Hades asked, stepping up to the desk, slamming his fists down in a very odd display of anger, something Zeus was quite unfamiliar with.

"Apollo has put a slight against her. As a very important intern, it's our job to make sure she's-"

"She's afraid of him." Zeus growled, leaning forward, surprising the younger brother even more. "Persephone is terrified of him. She wouldn't get out of my car when he was banging on my window. I was half tempted to banish him to Tartarus right then and there, but I decided to blow him off. Why, Zeus? If you put out a warrant against your golden boy, then I know there's evidence he's done something unforgivable. Why would you put out a warrant for him and an interrogation for her at the same moment, unless you found proof he'd done something to her?" Hades glared, the glow of ice in his eyes sending a shiver down Zeus' spine.

"Hades, it's not like that. And you know full well I can't give information unless I have any firm understanding of what's happening. Right now... I don't even know." Zeus admitted, his shoulder dropping as the anger washed from his expression, leaving him dazed and lost.

Hades sighed, standing straight up, crossing his arms. It was easy to see that whatever had happened, Zeus was terrified. He turned and paced back before sitting in the chair, giving his brother a little space. "Alright, then. What CAN you tell me?" He asked, trying to be a little more calm.

"At the time, nothing." Hera said as she walked in, the anger she'd been directing at her husband less than half an hour ago completely wiped from her. She knew full well if she told Hades what had happened, that he'd probably force Apollo to drink the whole of the river Styx and watch him wither and rot in Tartarus. "He's clueless about what's happening. I'm the one that's calling the shots on this. At the time, for her privacy, all I can say is we're worried she may try to hurt him. Apollo may be in danger, and we need to make sure we find her before she does something that can earn punishment. She doesn't deserve to be in trouble for something that may well just be a misunderstanding." She lied, and as transparent as it was to the god of the dead, he knew that Hera was protecting her.

"Fine." Hades sighed, his shoulders sagging into her seat, his eyes dropping down to his knees. "What can I do to help?" He asked, looking over. "I tried to send Cerberus to find her, but I think he's just staying with her. The two have grown rather close. If it's an emergency, maybe I can ask the Fates to find her?" He suggested, surprised to see Hera jump up and scream.

"DON'T DO THAT!" She yelled, knowing full well if they released where she was, there was a chance they'd tell Hades WHY she had kidnapped Apollo. She stared for a moment, embarrassed as both sets of eyes watched her in shock.

"Maybe... you should though?" Zeus shrugged, looking back to Hades, who sighed, standing.

"There's something I asked them to work on anyway. Maybe they'll be able to just give me a hint. Would that be alright?" Hades asked Hera, who swallowed hard.

"Let... me come too. Please." She pleaded, and Hades shrugged.

"I see no reason to say no. Let's go. Zeus, if anything happens, if you find them or if someone calls, let us know. Please." Hades asked, and Zeus nodded.

It was only seconds before the two were in the car, heading back to the underworld, Hera nervously fidgeting in her seat. "So... you have the Fates looking into something? Taking a peek into the future?" Hera asked, desperate for any sort of change of topic. It was almost claustrophobic, surrounded by all of the secrets and darkness that seemed to invade around her mind.

"Ah, not exactly." Hades admitted, glancing over. "I... need you not to say anything, alright?" He mumbled, and Hera nodded, now confused, but intrigued. "I don't remember the first time I met Persephone. Apparently I was drunk and invaded her home in search of Hecate. No one else even knew she'd seen me, but she wrote about Hecate's 'drunk friend'. I just... want to make sure I didn't embarrass myself too much." He admitted with a shrug, missing the look of amusement that passed over the golden goddess.

"You really do care about her, don't you?" Hera asked, leaning against the door of the car. She'd seen them together. She'd snuck around them in disguise and had seen the looks they gave each other, even if they both denied it, but all the same, she knew. What she wasn't aware of is that he knew as well.

"I do." He admitted. "She's a breath of fresh air in a world of stagnation. It's just... too bad." He admitted. "She's sweet and cute, and very much someone I should never have started to have feelings for." He sighed, earning a curious look from Hera.

"Why?" She asked, a bit surprised.

"Well, it would be depressing to marry someone in TGOEM. And she's a very lively and free spirit. The stench of death wouldn't become her. She wouldn't deserve that type of darkness in her shadow." he sighed. "Not to mention I'm pretty sure romance and love aren't what she's focused on right now. She's just starting to stretch her legs and discover the world. It's much too early to think of things like romance." He admitted, though his shoulders dropped, the amusement that had been in his eyes seconds before slowly ebbing away.

"You love her." Hera whispered, knowing full well what this look meant. "You love her and you're willing to let her go if it means she's happy." She realized, her eyes widening a little. "I'm surprised Zeus hasn't tried to get you to run off and force her into marriage." She sighed, rolling her eyes, though she was surprised not to hear a reply. She glanced over, seeing a darker color on his cheeks and nearly choked. "HE DID, DIDN'T HE?!"

"I turned him down." Hades whispered. "I don't want her to marry me against her will. I DO care greatly for her. I want her to be happy, and being forced into a marriage, especially for someone in TGOEM, it's wrong." He sighed, feeling his chest ache.

Hera stared, shock sliding more and more over her face. "I judged this whole situation so wrong. I'm sorry." She admitted, reaching a hand out to pat his forearm, trying to grant him a little warmth. "I thought you were just... planning to use her. I didn't even think that maybe you really did care, not until the strip club." She admitted, looking down. "I knew after that that you weren't being as disgusting as your brothers, but... I didn't realize how highly regarded you held her." She admitted, glancing over. "You're a good man, Hades. Don't let your brothers corrupt you or convince you otherwise." She said with a soft smile, earning one in return.

"Thank you." He said softly, finally feeling a calm trickle down over him.

It wasn't long before they were in the office, Hades with a very expensive bottle of wine in hand, and Hera's promise not to tell Zeus about what was happening. Of course after hearing everything, about what the memory he was here for originally, she wouldn't tell a soul. She thought it was sweet, his interest in finding out more about Persephone, as well as his interest in not just looking through everything, instead only asking for that one memory that he was in as well.

Clotho rolled her eyes as she took the wine, knowing full well that Hera wasn't going to say a word. After all, she was a major part in their future together. She wouldn't jeopardize their new romance. She slid over the VHS tape, leaning over the counter, knowing there was another question they had, though she didn't quite know what it was. "So, what else do you want to know?" She asked, watching as Hades and Hera blushed and fidgeted.

"We need to know... if you can tell us where Persephone is. She's in danger, and we just want to keep her safe." Hades explained, and the woman sighed, turning around, starting to pull the film from her chest, seeing the situation.

"I think... if you watch the whole video I just handed you, you'll know where she is. I added a few other memories of her that I think you'll find important, and that won't mess up the future, but I can't do this again. You know even this much is well beyond what we are supposed to do." She admitted, and Hades nodded.

"I know. And I do appreciate it." Hades nodded, holding the tape to his chest. "Thank you." He turned, walking from the room, Hera looking between the woman and Hades with confusion for a moment before she leaned over the counter.

"Hey, Can I ask an odd question? Why don't you just burn memories off onto DVD? It would be clearer quality, and they can be rewritten, so it would be just as convenient." She suggested, and the woman turned, holding up the film from her chest.

"It would be harder to convert the film over to DVD. It would end out with each tape taking nearly twice as long to burn due to codexes. Also, DVDs are so much easier to lose." She rolled her eyes, and Hera nodded.

She didn't understand half of that, but she had a feeling the Fate did understand, and knew full well what she was talking about.

Hera sighed, shrugging. "Alright. Thank you."

"Don't watch the tape with him." Clotho turned, her eyes focusing on Hera. "That tape was made just for him. There's secrets you don't need to know." She said, though instead of warning, the look on her face was that of worry.

"Alright. I'll... just stay outside then." Hera sighed before turning and heading after Hades.

She was now even more curious.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Hades didn't even notice that Hera hadn't come up with him. He barely recognized that as soon as the elevator doors opened, he'd taken off running to his office, sliding the tape in without a thought. He hit the play button, surprised to see things from Persephone's point of view.

Hades was asleep on a plush bed as she snuck in through the window, only noticing him after she was in the room. "Hello?" She asked softly, creeping up to see him passed out from wine. She sat beside him and reached out, running a strand of his hair through her fingers, a bit surprised to find a man on the property, especially one in this state. "Should you be sleeping here?" She asked, amusement brightening her voice before there was a soft laugh.

Hades blinked away the sleep in his eyes and looked up, shocked still for a moment. "You're beautiful..." He mumbled, pushing himself to sit, though so drunk he could barely keep himself upright. "What kind of nymph are you?" He asked, reaching a hand to touch her hair, earning a giggle from the goddess.

"I'm not a nymph. I'm Kore. The maiden of Spring." She grinned, and Hades nodded, his eyes watching each movement with every bit of attention he could grasp.

"You're by far the most beautiful maiden I've ever seen." He grinned, his head rolling to the side as she giggled at the antics.

"You are very drunk, good sir. Save your flattery for when you're sober." She said in a stricter tone, though it was easy to hear she was enjoying every word.

"When I'm sober I'll still think so. If you come to the underworld, I'll make you a queen. You'd be the most beautiful queen the world has ever seen." He reached a hand to cup her cheek. He could hear the soft intake, barely a gasp before he leaned forward and softly kissed her lip, only to pass out again and fall onto her shoulder. She could only push him back onto the bed, laughing at the oddity of his words. "A queen, huh? I guess we'll see." She giggled as she stood, kissing his forehead before hearing footsteps coming.

She knew better than to be found alone in a bedroom with a man and rushed, quickly making her way through the window.

Hades stared, both in shock and horror. He'd kissed her. The first time they'd met and he kissed her and proposed. And she didn't say no. He felt his cheeks burn bright, an odd warmth in his normally cold body. He reached up to rub away the blush, knowing full well that anyone watching would probably be in shock. He turned, seeing Hera in the hallway, facing away from him and the television before he heard another sentence. "Maybe I can pay it back!" Persephone's voice was so bright and happy, and Hades turned back to the screen, seeing her looking over not only papers from her scholarship, but from the internship as well. It wasn't much, just enough to confuse him before the screen went dark again, just enough to tell him that she needed money. Maybe her scholarship would fall through? Maybe she was just wanting to make sure not to deny someone else the money. She seemed the kind to want to pay back everything.

The next part was a line he had been there for. She was staring at him as she said it, though the words didn't really register in his head until now. "I do, as you say, give a fuck about him." She could barely see through her hair, which it didn't dawn on him until now was so much longer than it had been. He'd seen her with long hair a few times, usually when she was terribly upset. When she cried. And there she was, in his car, glaring out of the window at Apollo with her hair dragging the floor outside of the car.

"It wasn't right." He whispered, his eyes narrowing as he realized for the first time that she had been terribly upset. He bit his lip as the take ended, only giving a few seconds of film, but enough to let him know two things. First, she was upset by seeing Apollo. Even just a glimpse of him. Second, she needed money and was almost ecstatic just at seeing that she'd be paid through the internship.

He stood, tilting his head. She said that there would be a clue about where she was on the film, that he would know after seeing it. He reached up to rub his temples, starting to pace. She'd be somewhere she was comfortable. She was probably upset over something, so it would be somewhere he probably knew about. Maybe in the mortal realm? He sighed, knowing she wouldn't go that far away. But where else would she feel comfortable.

"Hello?" He heard and turned back to the television. "It's so cold... Hades, are you here?" There was no video, only the sound of her voice. "She said he'd be here, but I don't... what is that?" Her voice was soft, afraid, and Hades stared in surprise.

It wasn't something he had to see. He heard the soft groan, the gentle echoed breeze of the breath of the dead. It was in Tartarus. When he'd rushed in and found her in the forest she'd created. But why would this be on the video? There was no sight, only the sound of her panic as she searched for him, though the more panicked she'd became the more intent she was on finding him. Hades pushed his hands into his pockets, clasping tight to his thighs to calm the panic in his mind. She said he'd be here. That's what Persephone had said.

And her name, when they'd first met, it wasn't Persephone at the time. It was Kore. He reached up, running a hand through his hair as he tried to pick apart the thoughts that were now stampeding through his mind, so loud any common sense was wiped clean from his head. He stormed out of the room. "Hera, when did Persephone's name change? When did she stop being Kore?" He asked, surprising the woman, who blinked at the question before thinking.

"Maybe... a few months before she came here? I don't really know." Hera shrugged, thinking back. "It was around the time of that one dinner where you got so drunk we couldn't find you for three days." She chuckled at the memory before reason hit. "Why?"

"Her name, Persephone. Kore was much more... her. The maiden of Spring, she called herself. Persephone means 'bringer of death'. It seems odd her name changed when I met her." He admitted, and Hera stared, confusion turning to shock. She felt the grin slide across her face as she nodded, not at all wanting to fight this.

"It is, but it's intriguing as well." Hera chirped, and Hades turned back, confusion showing on him. "But did it tell you anything about where she is?" Hera asked, and Hades frowned.

"There's only two places I could think of that were on that tape. Either she's in the mortal realm, or... I have to go to tower 4. Tartarus." He watched as Hera stared, the color draining from her face.

"She wouldn't take Apollo... there, would she?" Hera asked, the cold suddenly seeping into her chest, making her heart feel frozen.

"I don't know. I hope she's not that angry with him. The last time she stepped in there she nearly died, so I'm hoping I'm wrong, but..." He sighed, heading over to hit the button on the elevator.

Hera swallowed hard, running a hand through her hair. "Hades, she probably is that angry. I can't imagine she isn't trying to kill him." She admitted, though her voice was soft.

Hades stared, seeing the pale tone of her cheeks and the way her eyes were trained on the ground. "Hera, why would she want him dead?" He asked, knowing full well that something was terribly wrong.

The ding of the elevator drew their attention and Hera pushed him in, shaking her head. "Go and look. I'll make a few calls. There's something I need to see." She frowned, pulling out her phone as the elevator door closed. She couldn't look him in the eye. She couldn't let him see the tears that she felt bubble back to her eyes, even if this time it wasn't a vision, but the memories of the previous ones. She took a deep breath, praying that if she was right Hades would eventually forgive her for her secrecy. She couldn't tell him. She couldn't say the words out loud, not to him. He cared too much for her.

"Zeus, get down here now. Pick me up, then we go to Tartarus. I was right. Persephone is trying to kill Apollo." She said, reaching a trembling hand to wipe the tears from her cheek. She turned, looking at the television through the window in his office, seeing Minthe on the screen, glaring at Persephone, though Persephone was too kind to realize the hatred in the gaze.

"He should be here." Minthe handed her a paper, and Persephone looked down, seeing the way to Tartarus mapped out.

"Ah! Thank you!" Persephone gasped out before turning, heading quickly to the elevator.

"Why would..." Hera tilted her head, before realizing what Hades had said. The first time Persephone had gone to Tartarus she'd nearly died. "Minthe tried to kill her." Hera gasped, her hands clenching tighter to her phone.

"Who?" She heard and turned, seeing Zeus staring at the screen, confused as the screen went black. "What was that?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think that's the proof. Persephone took him to Tartarus. We need to go. Not... inside, though." She whispered, honestly terrified of the thought of being inside of that place. She was sunshine and joy and light, at least in her mind. The cold death of the titans, of their parents and predecessors, wasn't something she wanted to see. "Take me." Hera reached out, grasping her hands around Zeus' chest, burying her face in his chest, honestly needing the comfort of his touch.

"Are you alright?" Zeus asked, his voice soft and sweet as he moved his own arms around her, holding her to his chest.

"I will be." She mumbled, internally hating that she already knew her makeup was smearing over his chest.

She felt a soft kiss against the top of her head and relaxed a little before she felt the shift in temperature. She looked up, seeing Zeus watching her with worry, reaching a hand to cup her cheek. "When this is over, let's go on vacation." He offered, and Hera nodded.

"I'd like that." She admitted before hearing the ding of an elevator.

"You two are fast." Hades sighed, walking into the entryway before the door to Tartarus. It was large, old stone that was quite a bit larger than the other doors, though as soon as they looked they knew Persephone was inside.

Her hair was tangled around the room, hanging from the ceiling, in threads across the floor. "Hades, we can't go in there." Zeus turned to his brother, swallowing down his own discomfort. "If you can't handle it alone, I can go in, but... I'd prefer if you could do this one yourself." He admitted, though Hades only stared, raising a brow.

"I didn't think you'd offer, Zeus. I knew I'd be going in alone. After all, I am the king of the underworld. This is MY domain." He said with an air of determination that caught both Hera and Zeus off guard. Hades squared his shoulders as he stormed into the room, no hesitation as he pushed open the door and disappeared into the darkness on the other side, though Hera could see the trees inside, the beginning of blossoms on the trees showing that they weren't new trees.

Hera swallowed hard, looking up to Zeus. "I'm scared." She admitted, her arms still wrapped around his chest.

Zeus smiled, hugging her close. He leaned forward, giving her a soft kiss. "No matter what, I'll protect you. There's no reason to be scared." He said, trying to comfort her as best he could, though he understood. It wasn't because of Tartarus, or because of the cold air that couldn't be stopped. She was scared for those in the other room, and what this outcome would mean for them all.

Hades walked into the room, for a split moment confused before remembering the forest that Persephone had grown hadn't been cut down. He'd left it as it was, which honestly gave the dreary space a more lively feeling. He looked around, stopping to see the hair which nearly coated the whole of the place, with tangled strands all over the walls, climbing like vines and draping over branches and the darkened souls that littered the ground. He raised a brow, surprised to find that as much as the life had been sucked from this place, and as eager as the spirits had been to grasp Persephone the first time she'd come in, they now laid dormant, ignoring the goddess that wandered these dark premises.

He walked through, peering around trees and looking over branches before he heard his phone ding and lifted it, a bit of confusion showing on his face. "Were we wrong?" He quietly asked himself, clicking on the image text from Apollo.

Persephone sat in the branches of one of the trees, slowly pushing Apollo as if he were in a swing, though he hung down, wrapped so tight he couldn't breathe and was constantly waking, only to pass back out moments later. He opened his eyes, letting out a wheezed groan before fighting to get his phone to work, typing out what he could, paying no attention to what he was sending or to who, just desperate to let someone, anyone know, that he was in trouble. He felt it slip, the tightening of the hair around him forcing the phone to fall, pushed from his pocket, only to drop above his head. He looked down, gasping as the phone fell, before stilling.

He hadn't just texted anyone. He'd accidentally sent a picture to everyone in his contacts, and after a moment he realized what the picture was, the pink skin and hand in front of her face, the panic he refused to see showing now so eagerly to him. "Oh..." He whispered, feeling the hair around him tighten.

"You..." Persephone looked at the image, hearing her phone ding as it had done multiple times in the last day, and yet again it went ignored. She leaped down, lifting the phone to see herself staring back, every bit of her body exposed, including the part of Apollo that was buried inside of her. "You... sent this to everyone..." She whispered, looking up to see fear flash across Apollo's face before he felt the hair tighten, wrapping a few extra times around his throat, as well as in his mouth to make sure he couldn't scream. "Hold on tight. This is going to hurt." She grinned, squeezing the phone in her hand until bits of broken screen trickled down like glitter to the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hades understood. As he ran through Tartarus, his eyes wide in panic, his breath now painful as he rushed. He felt so cold. Though the Underworld was always cold, and he'd grown very accustomed to it, this was different. He shivered as he ran, desperately searching each tree, each body on the ground, before he rushed into a clearing and realized that he'd passed her forest.

He turned and rushed back in, finally able to feel his chest swell with breath before he yelled out her name. He was almost shocked just from the sound of his own voice, though he didn't have time to think too much on it, on the fear and panic that echoed through Tartarus.

"Persephone!"

Persephone stilled, turning back to where she'd heard the scream, feeling tears now trail down her cheeks. He'd probably seen it too. She clenched her hands, not even realizing as her hair tightened more around Apollo, and ichor now dripped down the hair and into the dirt below, though Apollo himself was unconscious from the lack of oxygen as well as the hair that now was cutting into his body, leaving slices in his arms and chest and on one of his legs broke with an audible snap.

"No..." She gasped, her hands moving to her chest as she heard the footsteps close in. She stepped back, feeling her heart pound harshly against her ribs, the ache of the sobs trapped in her chest making her shake as she stepped back, feeling the golden ichor drip down her body from Apollo, still trapped above.

She stared in surprise as he came into view, seeing her curled up beneath the unconscious god, her eyes wide in horror on him. "Perspephone!" He gasped, rushing in before she could respond, and to her surprise, instead of the anger or disappointment she was expecting, he crushed her to his chest, hugging her close as he nearly collapsed to the ground. "Persephone! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He gasped out.

Persephone felt the trembling of her chest worsen before she let out a sob, her arms wrapping back around him, holding on to his chest as she cried. Hades relaxed a little as she sobbed, moving her out of the way of the mess the other god was making and sat on the ground, just holding her close, his eyes closed. "What happened?" He asked, half afraid he'd done something unforgivable and she'd just snapped after, which honestly, he wouldn't blame her for.

"I didn't want anyone to know!" She sobbed out, the sound breaking Hades' heart. "I don't want him to do that to anyone else! I just wanted everything to go back to how it was before that, but he wouldn't go away!" She cried, leaving Hades realizing a few things all at once.

The reason she needed the money for the scholarship. The reason she hated him so gravely the day that he'd been banging on Hades' car window. "Persephone, when did this happen?" He asked, reaching a hand to her cheek, cupping it softly, though he didn't try to move her head to face him. She deserved this bit of privacy.

"The night... we fell asleep on the phone." She whispered, leaving Hades' heart plummeting. She looked up, hiccoughing as she met his eyes, her cheeks pale and the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "I didn't know what to think. I was so confused and scared, and I didn't know what to think until Eros told me... it was rape. I didn't know. I didn't..."

"It's not your fault." Hades said softly, his eyes on hers, almost desperate to convey his thoughts to her. "Eros does know what his talking about when it comes to things like that. It wasn't your fault." He said again, seeing Persephone tear up even more, her chest trembling before she broke out in sobs again, pressing her face back into his chest. He could feel the rattle of her wails through his chest and sighed, hugging her close.

He was honestly relieved. He knew it would be a while before she was calmed and felt safe, but until then, he wanted to protect her. He wanted to keep her safe. "If you want, you can come stay with me for a bit. I don't want you worried about him showing back up over there. Cerberus could always stay to help keep you safe." He offered before hearing her sobbing grow worse.

"Why would you offer me so much?" She cried, looking up, showing the puffiness beneath her eyes. "You gave me that coat, and added the stuff about me getting paid for my internship. Why are you so kind to me?" She asked, and Hades chuckled, reaching a hand to cradle her cheek, surprising her enough to stop her tears.

"I'm only as kind to you as you've been to me." He said softly. "You've always treated me with a sweetness no one else has. You've always been able to make me smile, no matter how much I've been worried over other things. I want to repay that to you, even if it's just something like a place to stay and feel safe. That's the minimum you deserve." He swallowed, the surprised look in her eyes at his words warming his heart.

She reached up, rubbing her cheeks before she nodded. "I think... I'd like that." she mumbled as Hades sighed, honestly relieved at those words. "I think I need to cut my hair. It's... everywhere." She mumbled, looking around. She'd been so angry that she hadn't realized she was tangled into place, but now she knew full well how trapped she was.

"I'll... get a knife. One second." Hades pulled out his phone, sending a quick text to Zeus, who he knew was outside, probably trembling like a leaf. If there was one thing the other gods were afraid of, it was Tartarus, the reminder that even the gods could fall. It wasn't long at all before he heard the trembling voice of Zeus, trying to figure out where the two were.

"H-Hades?"

"Over here." He called out, not even realizing how it looked when Zeus walked in to find Hades sitting with Persephone in his lap, enveloped in his arms. Zeus walked over, his hands on his chest in an attempt to calm himself, his pocket knife held tight in his hands.

"Here." Zeus handed Hades the knife before looking over to Apollo. "What... did you do to him?" Zeus asked, and Persephone blushed, looking down.

"I just crushed him a little. Not much." She mumbled. "Am... I in trouble?" She asked softly, honestly terrified before the king of the gods.

"No. Apollo earned your wrath, and I worry about what else has been done." He admitted, watching as Hades started to cut away her long hair, though he made sure to leave it long enough for her to get cut in a way she'd like more. "I will ask you not to hang anyone else." He turned, seeing Apollo's eyes starting to flutter.

"I... won't make that promise." Persephone mumbled, earning a chuckle from Hades. She looked up, still a bit more calm, though it was easy to see her eyes were itchy and puffy from her tears. "Fifty percent." She mumbled, earning another chuckle from Hades before he finished and folded the knife, handing it back to its owner.

"I told you before, didn't I? I wanted to see you get angry. If that makes me more of a scoundrel, having a bit of amusement at... that's expense, then so be it." Hades said with a glint of amusement in his eyes that surprised both others.

Zeus took the knife and cut Apollo down, tossing him over his shoulder. "I'll take him back to Olympus. I think he needs to spend a little time thinking about his behavior." Zeus turned to leave, not bothering to pull the hair from the other. After all, it was all helpful to carry someone who was waking when they couldn't fight back.

Hades stood up, carrying Persephone in his arms as he left the room, not noticing the surprise or the blush on Persephone's face as he walked to the elevator, hitting the button with his elbow. "If you like, I can go get your things from Artemis' place while you take a shower. You're a bit of a mess." He admitted, looking down, seeing her realize she was drenched in ichor.

"That's a good idea. Are you sure you're alright having me stay with you?" She looked up, her voice soft and nervous. "I don't want to be a bother."

"I don't think you ever could be." Hades chuckled as the elevator let out a soft ding and opened, allowing them both inside.

Persephone let her head lean against his chest, the soft beating of his heart terribly calming to her. She closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh as she felt the strain and stress in her chest ebb away, leaving her asleep before they reached the first floor.

It was dark by the time she awoke, though as she'd been awake the whole night before, that didn't surprise her in the slightest. Hades had put her into his guest room, the same one she'd been in that first night. She stood and looked around, finding her bags around the room. She went through, grabbing the items she needed before slipping into the bathroom, finally able to scrub herself clean from the dirt and grime. She dried off and got dressed, stepping out before looking around the house. She made her way to the kitchen, deciding that after a day without, a bite to eat would be a good idea.

She was surprised when just as she sat to eat, Hades made his way into the kitchen wearing jogging pants and a tee shirt. "You're awake. Feeling any better?" He asked, tossing water into a kettle before moving through his cabinets to find the tea.

"Much. Did... Artemis say anything?" She asked, looking over with a bit of nervousness as she nibbled at her food, finding herself suddenly much less hungry.

"She said to apologize for her brother. I think she was really upset. After the image went out, Eros told everyone what he'd seen in your memory. No one blames you for what happened, but I know it's still going to change a lot of things." He admitted, fighting to keep the smile on his face. "TGOEM is going to have a meeting to decide whether you still qualify for your scholarship. Since it wasn't your choice, there's a good chance you could keep it." He said softly, surprised to hear a sigh from behind him.

"I don't want it." She admitted softly. "It's... such a lonely thought, never really being in that kind of relationship. Even if I were to find someone, no one would take it seriously, a relationship that never progresses." She sighed, earning a surprised hum from Hades. "The only reason I joined in the first place was because of Mom. She wouldn't let me leave unless she was sure I'd behave." She sighed, and Hades nodded, though he honestly didn't know what it was like at all, having an overprotective parent.

"Then just... tell them you don't want to accept, or you don't want to take the scholarship from someone else after everything. I think... that would probably earn you a few extra points with a lot of the goddesses in the group. As long as you want it, you have a job, and I can move to paying you like an employee instead of an intern. If there's anything else you need, I can easily make sure to have it for you." He looked back, seeing Persephone looking at her food, the look on her face heartbroken. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to take advantage. It sounds great, but I don't want special treatment." She looked up, seeing Hades looking, raising a brow.

"Well, I do need a new PA. Maybe you'd be interested in that position?" He asked, seeing the surprise flash across Persephone's face.

"A new PA? But... what happened to..." She bit her lips together, trying to figure out what was going on.

"We had a bit of a falling out." Hades' voice was soft, sounding deflated and lifeless. He didn't realize when he reached up, rubbing his cheek, the pain of the words echoing in his head much greater than that of the slap. "She's been suspended indefinitely, and I think Hecate would rather I not allow her back. I think maybe giving you a promotion would do us both a lot of good." He sighed, surprised when he felt her hand against his back a moment later. He glanced over, seeing her eyes wide on him.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, not at all surprised when he simply nodded, though he couldn't get himself to smile. "What happened? What kind of falling out did you have?" She asked, leaning against his side. It wasn't too much, but it helped warm Hades' chest a little.

"The night... that happened to you, we were supposed to get together for a date. The reason I texted you at four in the morning, I was up all night wondering what happened. She just... didn't show up. The next time I saw her she blew up at me. I don't even know why, but she hit me and said... a few things that she knew I wouldn't handle hearing well." He said softly, surprised to feel her arm wrap around his own. He glanced over, half expecting to see her depressed at his words, knowing full well that the conversation was going into places he'd honestly rather not wander into. He wasn't expecting to see her wrapped around his arm, looking up at his expression with anger on her brow. "What's wrong?" He asked, half wondering if he'd missed something.

"You're so kind and sweet. She hit you. She went out of her way to try and hurt you. How dare she!" Persephone nearly hissed, earning a chuckle from the other. She looked up, seeing a soft gleam in his eyes as he watched the anger on her face slip away at his expression. "It's true."

"I'm not used to someone else being angry on my behalf. Well, sometimes Hecate, but that's about it." He admitted, but after seeing the way the two worked together, she understood.

"Good. You should have more people on your side. You may be Hades, the king of the underworld, but you're still one of the most sweet people I've ever met." She admitted, hugging his arm a little tighter.

Hades couldn't help but smile at that. He felt his heart throb in his chest, longing and aching after the soft touch against his arm. "Thank you." He said softly, squeezing his hand to keep from hugging her back, forgetting he'd already held her in his arms for a good half an hour today.

He poured the water into the mug he'd prepared, the tea bag hanging over the side. "Well, as long as you're here, this is your home as well as my own. You're welcome to go anywhere you like, but I will ask you to not move anything in my office, across from my bedroom. It's mostly ledgers and numbers, but some of it would be difficult to recreate. Beyond that, you're welcome anywhere. There is a pool and a work out room in the basement. In the morning, if you'd like, I can take you shopping for anything you could need, like a work out suit or something else to wear to work, if you'd like." He offered, and Persephone shook her head.

"You're already doing too much!" She shook her head and Hades grinned.

"Best part of this, work clothes and gym clothes are a part of the image. As my PA you'll need to appear professional. The money you spend on things for your image, even make up and curlers, can be written off and added to your next check, if you submit the receipts." He informed her, seeing her stare in surprise.

"Then... maybe a few new outfits wouldn't be a bad idea." She whispered, honestly feeling a bit excited.

Hades grinned at that, nodding. "Good. Then in the morning we'll do a bit of shopping and blow off the morning at work. I'm sure Hecate will be happy to take over the morning." He said softly, knowing full well she'd just be happy he was taking a little time off, even if it was just a morning.

"Alright. Then... in the morning then. Sleep well." She said, turning to head to the stairs. She turned back, seeing Hades watch her retreat with a smile that made her cheeks burn a little brighter.

She made it to the bottom of the stairs before seeing an envelope off to the side with her name on it. She lifted it up, a thick manila envelope, with her name clearly written on the front in Hades' handwriting. She lifted it up, giving it a curious hum before turning back, looking at the kitchen door. She was half tempted to go ask about it, but honestly, she figured it was probably a list of house rules he'd made while she was asleep. He was making his tea at the moment, so she decided to just go read it instead of going to bother him again. After all, it was late, and she was sure he wanted to drink his tea and just go to sleep.

With that, she tucked the envelope under her arm, heading up to her room.


End file.
